It's official: Red Wings, Blues to open in Sweden

AP PhotoFor Henrik Zetterberg and some other Red Wings, next season's games in Sweden will be a homecoming.

DETROIT -- Sweden has given so much to the Detroit Red Wings.

Now it is their turn to give something back, to the country's hockey fans and to the club's large contingent of Swedish players, who have been invaluable to the team's success.

The Red Wings will start the 2009-10 regular season with a pair of games against the St. Louis Blues in Stockholm, Sweden, on Oct. 2-3.

Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said he agreed to open overseas mainly as a show of appreciation for the team's Swedish players.

"I know it means a lot to Nicklas Lidstrom and Tomas Holmstrom and Henrik Zetterberg and (the rest)," Holland said. "It's a unique experience."

RED WINGS FROM SWEDEN

• Nicklas Lidstrom, Vasteras

• Niklas Kronwall, Stockholm

• Henrik Zetterberg, Njurunda

• Johan Franzen, Vetlanda

• Tomas Holmstrom, Pitea

• Mikael Samuelsson, Mariefred

• Andreas Lilja, Helsingborg

Lidstrom entered the NHL in 1991, but it wasn't until a few years ago, when the league began sending teams overseas to start the season, that he thought it was possible he would play in Sweden with the Red Wings.

"We're going to be excited about being back home and playing for the Wings, and the fans are really looking forward to getting a chance to see the Red Wings play there," Lidstrom said. "The exposure to the NHL is a lot bigger now with the Internet; they're showing 3-4 games live there every week. They know a lot about the players, not only the Swedish players."

The Red Wings have seven Swedish players, but coach Mike Babcock is especially happy for Lidstrom.

"He's one of the best players to ever play the game. For him to be able to go home and play in his country, that's really special for him," Babcock said. "And we got a bunch of other guys who are going to have a lot of fun as well."

Teams that have started the season overseas have struggled. It took Anaheim some time to recover after opening in London last season. This year, none of the four clubs that opened in Europe (Pittsburgh and Ottawa in Sweden, the New York Rangers and Tampa Bay in the Czech Republic) have fared well.

But Holland and players said the positives outweigh any lingering effects caused by the travel and a potentially short summer.

"We're fully aware of the challenges the teams that went to Europe are going through," Holland said. "But it's hard to believe that affects you 4-5 months later."

The Red Wings open training camp in Traverse City on Sept. 13 and still will play nine preseason games, including one in Sweden against a Swedish club team on Sept. 30. They will play their final NHL exhibition game on Sept. 27 at home and then fly to Sweden the next day.

They will fly home immediately after their second game against the Blues. Holland said he doesn't know when they will play their next game but has been assured by the league that they will get ample recovery time, not playing again until Oct. 8 or later.

Zetterberg said he already has received 50 calls from friends and family asking about tickets.

"It's going to be a great atmosphere," Zetterberg said. "Especially after last year's (Stanley Cup) win, they showed a lot of games on TV (in Sweden), the Cup was over there for two weeks. We got a lot of fans there."

Said defenseman Andreas Lilja: "A lot of my friends and family who haven't been over here will get a chance to watch us."

The games will take place in the 14,000-seat Ericsson Globe, an arena Niklas Kronwall, the club's lone Stockholm native, played in for four seasons.

"That time of year, Stockholm is a beautiful place -- right on the water, a lot of old buildings, an old town," Kronwall said. "Everyone who has a chance to go is really going to like it."

Babcock said the experience will provide good exposure for the franchise and will be a nice change of pace for players.

"Around July 1 every year (the start of free agency), having a good brand name helps you recruit good players and keep players," Babcock said.

"With a veteran team, doing different stuff is important. I actually wish it was in February, when you need things changed up."

The NHL also announced that the Chicago Blackhawks will play two games against the Florida Panthers in Helsinki, Finland, on Oct. 2-3.